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Bali High
Bali, Indonesia
November, 2004
The Bali story starts back in The Cook Islands. When I was on Rarotonga I met a cool guy, Aaron, who had once lived in Bali. He gave me the phone number of a lady, Dani, who I was to contact when I arrived. With a big smile he said, iShe will really take care of you.i
I wasnit sure what to expect. A few days before departing top Bali I called Dani from Perth. The connection was really bad but we were able to establish the point that I was to call her from the airport when I arrived. The flight to Bali was uneventful, customs was very simple, but when I arrived outside the terminal at around 1:00AM, troubles soon began. Dani told me to go to the communications center to call her, but it was closed. There were plenty of touts around to help me but you know how that goes. I finally found a local payphone, but it was broken. By then I had a whole group of Guys around trying to ihelpi me.
iSir, please, let me se the number you are trying to call,i one of them said. iYou must have phone card to call that number, I have one here only 140.000 Rupia.i
Thatis about $15US (8900RP = 1 USD) and I was not about to pay that for one call. Then another guy approaches, he has a better card for only 200,000RP. I tell them that they are both insane, that I only need to make one call and wasnit about to pay that much. But, I was stuck. Finally another guy approaches shows me that he has a cell phone. iThey say 140,000, I make call for you for only 80,000rp.i
I told him that he was insane too, but I was in a jam so I had to barter. iYou know that is way too much for one call,i I said. iHow about 20,000.i
iSir, you have no way to make a call. Let me see the number. Is that your girlfriend? 40,0000Rp is a good price for you,i he said with a smile.
I really was stuck, so I said, iOk, look, 40,000RP is over 6 dollars Australian, I will give you 25,000RP and we will call it a deal.i Quick note, never let them know your American when bartering, they believe all Americans are very rich. He agreed and made the call for me. When I got Dani on the phone, she told me to put the guy back on the phone to give him directions to where I needed to go. Then he put me back on and Dani said, iOK, you come to my hotel, the guy knows where it is and he will tell the cab driver.i
The phone guy then walked me over to the cabstand and told the dispatcher, blah, blah, Bunga Seminyak. I remembered Aaron told me it was much better to stay in Seminyak than in Kuta, so this was good. I looked up on the fare board and saw Seminyak, 35,000RP. Just then the dispatcher looks at me and says, iSeminyak, 40,000RP.i
I decided not to argue and gave him the 40. I then get my driver and we start to walk towards the cab. I then ask him if he knows where Iim going. iSeminyak.i he states.
iYes, but Iim going to a specific Hotel, (I had already forgotten the name) do you know where it is?i
eWhich Hotel?i he replies. This is not good. Luckily I see the phone guy and yell for him to come over. He then explains to the guy, again, where Iim going. Finally, after over an hour with the hawkers Iim finally on my way.
When I arrived at Bunga Seminyak all was well. The porters knew I was coming and showed me to my room. On the way I asked where Dani was and he pointed to a patio where it sounded like a little party was going. The ported said, iYou want to say hello? Come,i and we went to the balcony. There were about 6 European guys and three local girls around a big table. The porter then introduced me to Dani.
iSo you are Ron!i she said with a smile. iAaron told me you were coming. Let me show you to your room.i
She was really nice. She was around 45, short-cropped black hair, dark skin and from Sumatra. She was well dressed in black shorts and a black tank top. The room was really nice with a big double bed, air-con, hot water, refrigerator and a TV.
iHave a shower and then come back at join us at the party.i I agreed, but before she left I gave her the present and card that Aaron had given me for her in Rarotonga. I also gave her a present of my own, a liter of Kahlua I had purchased in Duty Free. Aaron told me she really liked Kahlua, so I figured if she was going to show me around, the least I could do was buy her a bottle. Before she left she said, iYou know that Aaron and I were lovers? No, he didnit tell you? Oh, it doesnit matter, see you soon.i
I wasnit really up for a shower, but I washed my face and then went back over to the party. There were two Italian Guys, two Aussies, the Aussieis Balinese girlfriends and Dani. She poured me a black Russian and we talked a bit, the usual, where from, where to, first time in Bali, how long, etc. The typical Backpacker chatter that seems to become more annoying the more you travel. Unfortunately, there was no way around it.
After that, Dani began chatting with Mario, one of the Italians, and I had a conversation with an interesting Aussi. He was currently in Bali filming a documentary about the localis reaction to the Bali Bombing. He was also heavy into iNew Agei stuff. He explained to me the significance of biorhythms, that biorhythms control all living things on the planet. I wasnit really sure how to reply to that, so I said, iUm, yes, we have a place in Arizona, Sedona, I think, where people are really into that, I ThinkOei
iActually, all over Arizona.i He replied. iThere are people in India and England who have studied biorhythms for centuries, but the people in Arizona have really made it into a science. Itis truly amazing! From just your birthday, you can track you entire life.i
I was nodding along when he came up with the big kicker. iDid you know,i he said, iThat every horse has the same birthday?i
iWell, no.i I said absently.
iDonit you get it?i he said with a big smile. iIf you knew the horses birthday, you could track its biorhythms right up to the day of a big race and know how he or she would perform! The owners have to keep the date a secret so they give all of their horses the same birthday.i
I looked at him and said, iWell, yes, I guess that makes sense, that is a pretty exact science.i He sat back smiling and quite proud he had taught me something. I thought to myself, iWow, some really interesting characters around here.i
We sat and drank until about 3:00AM and then everyone began to go to bed. The one Italian, Mario, was leaving the next day so he was going into town to a nightclub for an hour. I was feeling giddy after about 4 Black Russians so I decided to join him. Later in the week, Dani was talking with ithe Gangi and said, iThis one is crazy, he is in Bali for two hours, he doesnit even know where he is and he goes into the night club! I gave him my card in case he got lost!i
Actually it was no big deal. We both went in on Mariois Scooter and the club (Double 6) was really dead. We still stayed for a few hours and it was getting light when we got back. It was quite a first night.
The next day was when the Ron/Dani drama began. I woke up around noon and wandered around the hotel and to the beach. The Bunga Seminyak was really nice. About 10 bungalows surrounding a big pool and right on the beach. The beach was really nice, white sand, probably about 5 miles long with a consistent 3-5 foot beach break. I was excited. I decided to go back to my room, put on some sunblock and rent a surfboard. On the way I saw Dani. She smiled and stated, iWe need to talk about room. We normally charge 350,000, but since you are friend, I can give you special price. How much you want to payi
I was kind of blown away, 350,000? I couldnit do the conversion on the spot like that, but it sounded like a lot. I was a bit shocked. iUm, Iim sorry Dani,i I said blankly, iI canit think right now. Iim going for a swim and we will talk later, OK?i
iNo problem, Ron. Come and see me later.i
When I was out surfing the price tag really hit me. i350,000Rp,i I said to myself, iLet me see, um, thatis almost 40 USD a night!i I was dumbfounded and a bit angry. Bali was supposed to be a cheap place to stay and I was thinking more like, say, 10 USD per night. And now I would have to negotiate with her. She was supposed to take care of me and now we were going to have to play money games.
Besides the money worries, I had a good surfing session. I found a place about a half-mile down the beach where a nice left was setting up. The board rental was cheap too, about 4 USD a day. After a few hours in the water I headed back to Bunga Seminyak and approached Dani. I told her that I was a backpacker and that I really couldnit afford such an expensive place. She looked at me, got out the calculator and said, iHow many night you want to stay.i
I didnit know what to reply. The place was over twice as much as I expected in Bali. I replied, iIim really not sure.i
She then said, iOK, you think about it. The best price I can give you is 200,000Rp. Itis a very good price. But, you think about it and we talk tomorrow.i
As I was walking away, she stopped me and said, iRon, I work at a nice restaurant, would you like to come there with me tonight?i I really didnit have and plans so I agreed. She continued, i Great, meet me at my bungalow 8:30PM.i
I went back to my room and thought about the new price for the room. Letis see, 200,000Rp, thatis about 22 dollars a night. Not bad, but still more than I wanted to pay. I decided that the next morning I would walk around town to see if I could find a cheaper place. After this brief contemplation, I decided to walk into the main part of town for some water and supplies.
This became a daily ritual. Everyday I went to the Bintang Market to pick up Water, some Bintang Beer, a couple Lipton Iced teas, bananas and some snacks. The Bintang market was really cheap and I got all of the above for less than $5US. There was already water and beer in the fridge, but knowing the price of the room, I couldnit imagine what they would charge me for those items.
That evening I grabbed a beer and my Guitar and went to a little cabana near the beach and played some tunes during the sunset. There was a guy sitting by the pool and he came up and joined me. iOK if I sit here and listen?i he said.
iNo problem,i I replied. I played a bunch of covers and he sat back and listened and watched the sunset. Soon after we began to chat. His name was Igor and he was a Naval Engineer who lived in Holland. He also played the guitar. We really got along and became fast friends. We ended up spending the next two weeks hanging out together. The sun was set and Igor asked if I was hungry and if I wanted to go to dinner. iNo,i I said, iI have agreed to have dinner with Dani, you know, the manager here.
I then told him the entire story of my hotel situation, about how it seemed weird that I had to negotiate prices with someone who was supposed to be my friend and show me around. He agreed and said that she did seem a bit hard, but he also told me that he was paying 300,000Rp a night, so 200,000rp was not that bad.
It was getting towards 7:30PM, so I told Igor that I would see him tomorrow and that I had to go get ready for dinner. At about 8:15PM one of the girls that worked at the hotel came, knocked on my door and told me that Dani was ready to go. I put on my shoes, went to her Bungalow and we drove her scooter to the restaurant that was about 10 minutes away.
What a disastrous evening. When we arrived at the restaurant she said, iGo on in, I need to go in around the back.i
I went in and got a table. The restaurant was fancy, really well lit and I was really uncomfortable. I canit stand eating dinner at a nice restaurant alone. Itis really depressing. I ordered a beer, then dinner and there was still no sign of Dani. About the time my pasta arrived I see Dani walking around chatting with the staff. She does look over to me and nod but that was about it. When I was almost done, she did come over and sit down. iHow is the food?i she said.
The food was really great, but it was expensive and I wasnit too happy. I told her the food was fine, but I was done and would have to find a way home. iNo problem.i She said. iYou can easily walk from here, go out to the left, go up the street and make a left into the Oberoy Hotel. Got through the hotel to the beach and go left. Its really easy!i she said smiling.
I paid my bill and went out on the street and began to walk. I was pretty mad. I had been in Bali two days and Dani hadnit showed me anything. She makes me bargain for my hotel. Then she tales me to her fancy restaurant and I eat alone. I figured I would have done much better in Bali at the mercy of the Hawkers. At the least I would be staying in a cheap hotel in Kuta and not tormented.
The next morning I set out to find a cheap hotel. There was nothing inexpensive near Bunga Seminyak, but I looked in a guide and saw that there were lots of hotels over on Double Six Street. There I found a nice place, Bali Subak, that had rooms as good as Bunga Seminyak for only 130,000RP. Not on the beach, but at least my mind would be at ease. I made a reservation for 3 nights. After that I planed to spend a few nights in an inland artist community called Ubud.
When I returned to Bunga Seminyak I saw Igor and he had just returned from Kuta with a new surfboard. It was great to see him and we immediately went out surfing. We went out at the usual spot and I was getting some good rides but Igor was struggling. The board he purchased was a bit to short for him. He is about 6i2i and the board was 6i4i. The great thing, for me anyway, that his board was perfect for me. As our time in Bali went by, we would often go surfing and I would rent him a longboard, and use his short board. If he didnit feel like surfing, I would borrow his board and he would borrow my guitar. It really worked out well.
That evening, Igor and I were going out to dinner and I really need to find Dani to pay her for my 3 nights. The problem was that she was nowhere to be found. I had to leave in the morning and I knew it was hard to find her then too. I was kind of bummed leaving the Bunga, just meeting Igor, but I really felt I had to go. It got to be 8:00PM and still no Dani. I had informed Igor on the latest developments in my situation, including the dinner the prior night. iJust go and pay the girl at the front. Tell her that Dani told you 200,000Rp,i He said.
We were both hungry, so I took his advice and we went to the front desk. iIs Dani around?i I asked.
iNoi the girl replied.
iWill she be around tomorrow morning?
iNo, probably not until noon.i She continued.
That was too late for me so I said, iI need to pay because Iim leaving tomorrow. Dani told me I could pay 200,000Rp a night.i
At that point the girl shook her head and got a funny look like saying, iNo that is impossible.i
iCan you call her? I really need to pay.i
She got on the phone and within 3 minutes Dani was there in person. She told the girl that 200,000Rp was fine and I paid for my three nights. Then she asked me, iWhere are you going to stay now?i
I told her that I found a place over on Double Six that had nice rooms for 130,000Rp. iWhat is the name?i she continued.
iIts called Bali Subak, really nice rooms, but a bit further from the beach.i I replied.
She paused, then whispered so supposedly Igor couldnit hear, iIf you want to stay here, I will give you room for 150,000Rp for now on.i
I couldnit believe it. First she tells me that 200,000Rp is the best she could do and now with a blink of an eye itis down to 150,000Rp. It was a great deal for a place on the beach and since Igor was staying there, I accepted the new price.
For dinner we decided to go on his Scooter to somewhere in Kuta. I brought my video camera and got some good footage of the crazy evening traffic. The people really drive crazy in Bali. Hundreds of cars and Thousands of Scooters all beeping their horns and buzzing around each other.
We found a real hole in the wall local place and it was definitely the best Indonesian food I had while in Bali. We had two large Bintangs, fried rice and meat on sticks. There were only localis in the place and it was really fun. The entire price for the meal was only 30,000Rp for both of us (about $4USD). During dinner we discussed the Dani drama and laughed about how she charged me 200,000Rp for my first three nights and then dropped it to 150,000 with a whisper. Like I wasnit going to tell Igor anyway. She was my good buddy!
After dinner we decided to go out to some bars in Seminyak. We dropped the scooter back at the hotel and walked. Igor told me the last time he went to the bars with his scooter, it took him an half-hour to find it at the end of the night. I was not surprised, there are hundreds of scooters parked up and down the street in Seminyak.
That night was Igoris and my first night out on Dyhana Pura. We started off my plating some pool in a great bar called the Bush Telegraph. This became our local hangout. We would go there every night before going to the other bars. The place was always empty so we were their best customers. Within a week we knew everyone who worked there and were greeted with handshakes and smiles whenever we showed up. We would play Doubles Pool with the Barmen and I would get up and sing with the bands. Really great and really fun.
One night when we were hanging at the Bush Telegraph a guy approached us and he was the most Australian Guy I had ever met. His name was Jason, was big, covered with tattoois and said iMatei in every sentence. I found out he was from Perth. He just called me iYank.i He seemed pretty drunk but not that bad. He put up a challenge for the game of pool, I was his partner and he kept on missing saying, iSorry mate, Iill get the next one. Iive been here since 4:00PM.i
While he was shooting, one of the guys who works there came over and said,iYou know that guy, he has been here since 4:00PM and is on his 38th VB (Aussi Beer). We both laughed. I think he now holds the record for most beers in one day at the bar. After he was done playing pool with us he started dancing in front of the live band, kind of swerving his hips and drooling at the girl singer. He was a true character.
Letis take a minute to talk about the live music in Bali. Almost every bar has live bands and most of them are really bad. The guys playing the live music are usually really good, but usually itis a kind of Karoke with the background being controlled by a keyboard guy. But thatis not so bad either. The real problem lies with the singers. Have you ever seen someone sing a song in a foreign language where they donit know what they are singing actually means? Itis really weird. Sometimes they mispronounce the entire song and often the words even change. Sometimes you donit even know what song it is until about half the way through. This can really get on your nerves, but it can be funny too.
After our first evening at the Bush Telegraph, Igor and I went across the street to a bar called Santa Fe. This was a small bar with a mixed foreign/local crowd that had live music every night. We heard that the band would be playing iRolling stones and Hendrixi so we thought we would check it out. This turned out to be quite fantastic.
The Rolling Stones cover band had this really funny Mick Jagger imitator. He was a dark, thin, Indonesian with long grey hair. He was wearing a black velvet vest with tight leopard skin pants. He was unbelievable. He even looked a bit like Mick with his long face and big teeth. He had all the moves too; strutting and spinning just like Mick. And when he sang, it really made you smile. When he sang iUnder my thumbi it sounded like, iUnta by Dumbi and the like. Extreme entertainment. I even stayed in town a few extra days to see him again so I could get some video footage, which turned out great. After they were done, a three-piece came on and played Hendrix note for note. It was really incredible. The guitar player really kicked ass with playing and singing.
That night we met two cool Aussi girls, Kelly and Jane who we danced and hung with for their last couple nights in Bali. They were nurses and were in Bali for a week holiday. We also met this crazy wild girl from East Timor named Mariana. She was really cute and very interesting.
Marianna was a great dancer, but there was something unexplainable about her too. She was kind of like a wildcat you wanted to tame. Igor liked her and as time went by, she was labeled, iIgoris Girlfriendi even though they never did anything together. When we would see her out at night I would say, iHey Igor, thereis your girlfriend!i kidding like. She would always come by and say hello but she would also keep her distance. Strange beautiful girl.
The next day the drama at the Bunga continued. When I woke up Dani approached me and said, iYou donit need your TV do you? A guy has come to take it, OK?i
I was kind of hazy from the night before so I agreed. This became another point of contention. Igor was there when it happed and we laughed as we walked down the beach to go surfing. iWhat will be next, will she take my Refrigerator? And then my bed?i I sarcastically stated. iI need to come up with a next move. I will not lose this game of Psychological Warfare!i
That evening we went to the Bush Telegraph as usual and then met the Aussi girls at the Santa Fe for some dancing and drinks. When we arrived, Kelly was unusually sedate. The night before she was dancing up a storm and heavily flirting with Marianna. She was sipping soda and really not herself. I asked her what was wrong.
iOh, I donit know, a bit hung over I guess,i she said.
iThe best thing for a hang over is a nice shot, let me buy you one. This is your last night, you canit just sit there!i I replied.
iOh, I donit know.i She said again.
I ordered a couple shots and a just then Marianna showed up with a friend. Kelly downed the shot and really cheered up. Soon enough she was out on the floor shaking it up with Marianna. I looked at Igor and said, iLook, thereis your girlfriend, or is she Kellyis?i We both laughed.
That evening was our first night over at the clubs on Double 6. There were two nightclubs there, Double 6 and the DEj* vu. They both played techno and were open all night but the Double 6 was really large and DEj* vu was smaller and a bit more chic.
We tried to get the Aussi Girls to come but they would not go to the clubs for fear they might get blown up. I thought this was kind of silly and said, iCome on, thatis not going to happen again, you canit live your life like that!i
They said they were tired and were going home, so Igor and I started for the other side of town. At the last minute, Mariana joined us too. We walked on the beach and when we arrived, Marianna said that DEj* vu was much better than Double 6 so we went there.
DEj* Vu was really fun. It was crowded with about a 50/50 mix of locals and tourists. They have a big silver androgynous robot statue at the front that is decorated with roses or bangles or whatever is the theme of the night. The floor has black tile and all of the counters and furniture were white linoleum. There was some seating and lots of room for dancing. The place only starts to happen after 1:00AM. I really liked it. And, that was that night I met the iSuper Sex Girls.i
One thing about Bali that is different than most places I have been is that there are lots of tall, thin girls with long black hair and high cheekbones. They all seem to hang together and look much the same. When they look at you, they always do a little shoulder turn and smile. And they all are, of course, men. Igor assured me that there was something traditional about transvestites in Bali. Since ancient times the men often took on feminine features. Looking around I had to agree.
During that evening I was approached by two of these iGirls.i The one who talked to me was my height, long black hair, very thin, no butt, and was wearing a skimpy white dress.
iHi there, where are you from?i
iAmerica.i I replied.
iReally, America is nice. Is this your first time in Bali?i
I decided to play along. iOh Yes. Yes, this is my first time.i
iHow come handsome guy like you standing here all alone?i she continued.
iUm, I donit know.i Then she said the big line.
iHow about you, me and my friend go back to your hotel and have Super Sex.i She said while smiling.
I decided to continue a bit. iSo how much does this um, iSuper Sexi cost?i
iOh, that doesnit matter. Come on, letis go! We have fun.i
After that I kindly refused and walked back to Igor and Marianna who where on the front Patio. I didnit want to be rude, so I didnit tell Igor about the conversation until our way home. He laughed when I told him and for the rest of the trip we referred to the pack as iThe Super Sex Girls.i
The following day I decided to go on a sightseeing day tour. I had been surfing everyday since I had been in Bali so it was time for a change. The guy at the tour office assured me that the most popular tour was the Volcano/Elephant Cave Temple/Ubud tour that included a traditional dance. The entire cost was 75,000Rp, which seemed like a good deal.
The shuttle picked me up at 9:00AM and we started off for the fist place, a traditional dance performance. There was one other guy on the trip and he was a Brazilian named Gabriel. When we arrived at the dance theatre, Gabriel said he would walk around because he had seen many of the dances since he had been in Bali. I decided to go in until I realized that the performance was going to cost 50,000Rp. I was Shocked. I thought the 75,000Rp was for everything.
iSo you donit want to see the dance?i the guide said in an annoyed tone.
iNo, I thought everything was included in the $75,000 I paid to the agency. I donit want to pay 50,000 for a dance.i I replied. Will I have to pay for all the things we do?i
iWhat you paid was for transportation only.i
iAnother Bali rip off,i I thought to myself.
Luckily Gabriel had not wandered off too far, so we picked him up and were on our way to the second place. This was a silver market. Gabriel and I decided not to go there too. Neither of us really wanted to go shopping. The driver became more annoyed. iSo you want to go right to the volcano? OK, we go.i Then he turned around and began to talk quickly to the driver in Indonesian.
We did stop at a temple on the way, and it was really nice. It cost 4,100Rp to get in and I got some great shots. Our guide cheered up a bit and told us a little about the history of the Temple that was built in the 1600is. The temple was cool, but I was looking forward the Elephant Cave Temple that was supposed to be fantastic.
The drive to the volcano was on a windy road up into the mountains. This day was the day of the new moon so there were lots of festivals at the different temples. We drove past a few large processions of people walking down the street to the Temple. The men were dressed in black pants, white shirts, black sashes and black wrap around cloth hats. The women were dressed multi color dresses with lots of layers and numerous sashes. The women also had large bowls of fruit and other offerings on their heads. They often blocked the road so I was able to get some good photos and film of the traditional parades.
After about 2 hours on the road, we arrived at the volcano at around 11:30AM. The driver and guide dropped us off at a restaurant that had a balcony with tables and an incredible view of the Volcano, the lava paths and the valley below. Of course we would have to eat at the Restaurant, but by then we were hungry and didnit mind too much. He told us that he would be back to pick us up at 1:00PM.
The Gunung Agung Volcano was really beautiful. It is the largest in Bali and rises to the height of 3142m. The volcano last erupted in 1963 and you could still see the lava fields surrounding the mountain To the right is Lake Batur which makes the scenery that much more amazing. I got out my tripod and got some great shots. Gabriel and I took turns of photographing each other in front of the beautiful scenery.
We had a nice time sitting on the balcony enjoying a buffet lunch. Unfortunately, the food was a bit cold, and not that great, definitely not worth the 50,000Rp, but the view made up for it. During Lunch Gabriel and I discussed our experiences so far in Bali and both of us were a little put off. I guess he had more of a right to be disgruntled than I, because he had his digital camera stolen on the beach the day before. He said that two guys came up, one distracted him and the other grabbed his camera and ran. He was really pissed because he lost about 100 shots that he had taken, mostly in Bali, but a few from Cambodia. Currently he was using a disposable to take shots during our trip.
At 1:00 the guys showed back up and we were on our way down to Ubud. Out trip included 1 hour of shopping in Ubud. It took us 1 hour to get there and I realized when we arrived that I forgot the postcards I was supposed to deliver from Aaron to girls he knew who worked in the shops. Ubud was nice. There are about 100 galleries all around the city. It has a thriving expat community of mainly painters and jewelry makers. It was a nice hour but, Iim really not that into jewelry and I definitely had no room in my pack for a painting.
When we went back to the shuttle, the Guide told us that we had to pick up some people and then we would return to Seminyak. I didnit say anything at first, but when we were waiting I questioned the Guide. iIsnit the Elephant Cave Temple included in our trip?i
iYou want go there? Ok we go.i
After the couple got on board it was only a 15-minute drive to the temple. When we arrived the driver said to the couple, iWe go to the temple, you wait here.i
They kind of ignored him and began to get out. I think they wanted to see the temple too. The guide raised his voice, iNo, we go to temple. You wait here. It not part of your trip!i
I raise my eyebrows and looked over to Gabriel. Wow, this guide was a real jerk. Like it should make any difference to him if they saw the temple too. Instead they would have to wait in the hot car. I have yet to mention this because it is a given, but it is about 90 degrees and very humid everyday in Bali.
I really liked the Elephant Cave temple. The face of the cave was an incredible carving of an elephant and the entrance of the cave was the elephants mouth. Inside the cave were lots of old Buddhist elephant carvings. I got a great video walking from the outside of the cave to inside to the different caverns. My camera has a great night setting so it worked really well.
An hour later I was back at the Bunga Seminyak. I ran into Igor and he was relaxing so we did the Guitar/Surfboard trade and I had a nice sunset session out in the water.
That evening we were sitting by the pool having a beer when a tall blond girl walked by and went into her bungalow next to the pool. iIs she here with a boyfriend,i I asked Igor.
iIim not sure, I havenit seen her with anyone,i he replied.
iShould we ask her to join us for a beer?i I continued.
iI guess so, why not,i he said.
I got up walked up to her door and knocked. iCome in,i she said with a bit of a German accent,
iExcuse me, my friend and I were wondering if you would like to join us for a beer?i
iSure, Iim just looking for something, Iill be right out.i
As I ran off to my bungalow to get some beers, I told Igor that she would be right out. I arrived back before her and soon she joined us.
Her name was Angelica and she was a Strategic Planner working for an advertising agency in Hamburg. We chatted with introductions and the like and a bit later we asked her if she would like to join us for dinner. She wanted to come but she said that Dani had invited her to her Restaurant. Igor and I looked at each other and laughed. She asked us what was wrong. We said iOh nothing, but you should really come with us.i She agreed and gave Dani a rain check. We all did go to Daniis Restaurant a few nights later and it was fine with a group.
Angelica became the third member of our gang. For the rest of her time in Bali, we hung out every night and all became good friends. She was really cool and itis always great to have a girl in the gang. She even became quite a pool player and local in the Bush Telegraph.
After that day, I really had no great desire to go and stay in Ubud, even though I had told Dani I was going to leave early that week. I kept on asking Igor how long he would stay but he was indecisive too. He kept saying everyday that friend of his was going to join him. His friend was currently in Jakarta visiting relatives and should be there any day. Angelica said that she was definitely staying at Bunga Seminyak until she departed the following Monday.
That day Dani approached me and asked how long I was going to stay. I said until Friday because I really wanted to video this crazy Rolling Stones Tribute Band. She says, iOh, I thought you were going to leave tomorrow (it was Monday). You said you were going to Ubud? We may have reservation. You know, I just manage, I donit take reservation.i
iFine, if you have a reservation I will leave,i I said back in a pissed off tone. The Dani/Ron drama was not going to end.
She noticed to tone in my voice and said, iIim not sure, let me check, I will let you know.i
This did piss me off. I knew she would not let me know until the following morning and then I would have to wander around and find a place without a reservation. A big holiday was coming up, Idul Fitri, kind of like their Christmas, and rooms were getting hard to find. And, now that I had two friends in the Bunga, I really wanted to stay.
That night we did the same old stuff, Dinner, Bush Telegraph and Santa Fe. The following morning Dani gave me a reprieve and told me I could stay until Friday. Wednesday was uneventful. We had been partying every night so the three of us had dinner and then an easy night.
The next day Igoris friend from Jakarta showed up and he was instantly the fourth member of the Gang. His name was Frido and he was half-Indonesian and half-Dutch. He lived in the same town in Holland as Igor and they were good friends. Both him and Igor could speak Indonesian so it was cool to go out with them. That night we all went out together and had a great time. Especially because it was Thursday, the night that iGado Gadoi the great Stones Cover Band was to play. They were fantastic and I got some great video footage. We even went to Deja Vu after because Angelica and Frido had yet to be there.
The place was in full swing. Marianna was there, all of the Super Sex Girls and lots of other locals and foreigners. That night I saw a girl that I had actually met my first night in Bali when I went to Double Six with the Italian Mario. She immediately began to Flirt with me.
iSo you are still here! Itis good to see you. What is your nameOei
Her name was Becky and she was about 5i3i a little pudgy and wore a lot of Makeup to hide her pock marker face. But, she was always well dressed and cute, so I didnit mind talking to her. She then became iMy Girlfriendi even though I didnit do anything with her. It was nice having the Gang around because you always had a place to slip away to when things became a bit to hot. A few nights later I was alone at DEj* Vu, and she approached me and made me sit down. When I did, she hiked up her skirt exposing herself and kissed me on the lips.
iWhy donit you take me home,i She said with a pout. iYou no like me?i
iItis not that. Iim really not available. Iim sorry.i
iWhatis wrong, you gay?i
iNo, itis not that, Iim sorry.i It was late so I got up and left the club. My girlfriend never talked to me again after that, even though she would walk by us and give me a little smirk. iWhatis wrong with your girlfriend,i Igor would say and we both would laugh.
The next couple days were pretty uneventful, Friday morning I moved over to my favorite hotel in Bali, the Bali Subak on Double Six. I really liked the place because the Dani stress was over and I even got continental breakfast and a TV for 130,000Rp. I still walked over and met the Gang every night for dinner and Igor to surf.
On Sunday, we all decided to rent a car and go snorkeling in Nusa Dua and to see the Monkey Temple by the sea. The snorkeling was not that great, but we were all glad we went. There were lots of fish and I spotted a lobster. More than anything, we were all a bit hung over, so a good swim was just what we needed. Next we had lunch and then we were on our way to the Monkey Temple.
I was really excited. I really wanted to see the monkeys. No one else seemed so excited but I kept on talking about how much I loved Monkeys and that my favorite band was the Monkeys, my favorite TV show was the Monkeys, my favorite food was bananas etc. They definitely thought I was a bit loony. As we got near, Igor said, iYou better be careful because the monkeys are really aggressive and will take you hat, your sunglasses and anything in your pockets. The monkeys are sacred so you cant kick them away, be careful!i
When we arrived I emptied my pockets, took off my hat and sunglasses, but I was going to bring my cameras no matter what. The monkeys were great. I had some fruit from the restaurant and when a monkey saw it he came over and immediately latched on to my belt and wouldnit let go (when you go into a temple you have to wear a sarong with a belt tied around). I handed the monkey a piece of fruit and he grabbed the fruit with one hand and still held on with the other. It was really funny.
I wanted to get some footage of this iMonkey Businessi so I gave Angelica the bag and told her to give some fruit to the monkeys. Then, this really big monkey came up and snatched the entire bag from her. We were all laughing. Frido approached the monkey to get the bag back, but the monkey growled and that was that.
The temple also had some really great sea views. Cliffs surrounded it, and at the bottom, the sea was deep blue with great waves rolling in. Really fantastic. After we hiked around and checked out the scenery, I wanted to get some more monkey shots. I had found the brim of a hat and wanted someone film me as I tried to get a monkey to steal it from me.
I gave the camera to Angelica and told her to shoot. I approached a monkey with the hat, waved in front of the thing, but he just ignored me. Someone in the background said, iHe will take your water.i
I had a bottle of water with a little left so we tried that gag. I walked up and squatted about 5 feet from the monkey and began to drink. The monkey was interested. He approached me slowly and then grabbed the bottle from my hands. I held on for a couple seconds to make and extra dramatic tug of war. It was quite funny. The monkey grabbed to bottle and went back to his place, sat down and drank the remaining sips. Everyone around laughed.
There was only one problem. I rewinded the footage and Angelica had zoomed in too much and all you could see was my and the monkeys hands tugging at the bottle. I really wanted it to show all of me, not just my hand. Angelica felt bad and handed me her bottle of water and said to try again, but she did not want to film it again. I gave the camera to Frido and we did the same gag over again with a different monkey and it worked well.
What a great day. The driver was really cool and we all napped all the way back to Seminyak. It was Angelicas last night, so we went out to dinner and to the Bush Telegraph for some pool. After that, Frido and I were not quite ready to call it a night so we both gave our farewells to Angelica and She and Igor went back to the bungalows. Frido and I went to Santa Fe, Marianna and her friend were there so we all danced. It was a great night and it was fun to hang out with Frido. He is a really cool guy and we had fun wandering the town.
The next day was Monday and Dani was having a post Idul Fitri lunch at the Bunga Seminyak. Over the last week few days I forgot about our conflicts and she was really sweet at the lunch. There was tons of food drinks and dessert. An Aussie that was living there brought a sound system and we stayed for a few hours eating, drinking and being merry. I thanked Dani and we even had a picture together.
On Tuesday, a really wild thing happened, I was walking down the beach and this guy runs by who looks just like someone I had met in Paris. He was the brother of this Swedish girl named Linnea who was doing a documentary on the bookstore. We met at Bar Onze and really connected. His dream was to leave Sweden forever and learn to surf. I told him I was a surfer and that he should come and visit me in Morocco and I would give him free lessons. Before he left for home, he gave me this letter that included his email and a drawing of two guys standing by the sea with their surfboards watching the sunset. It was one of the coolest letters I have ever received. The problem was that I couldnit make out his email address and we never connected. That was about 2 years ago.
So this guy who looks just like him runs by me and I do a double take. I turn to look after he passes and yell iHeyi and then I whistle. I couldnit remember his or his sisteris name. The other problem was that I had twisted my ankle the night before, so I couldnit run after him. I turned around and was going to forget about it, but then I changed my mind. I had to find out if it was him. I turned around at started walking back up the beach in the direction he was running. Luckily, about one hundred yards up he stopped and started walking back. I wasnit sure what to say, but I approached him and said, iDo you have a sister?i
He looked at me like, iWhat?i but than this big smile came cross his face and he said, iIs that you?i
It was a really incredible moment. We both hugged and walked up the beach together. He told me he had bought a one-way ticket from Sweden and that he was going to travel for awhile. The most incredible part was that he was going to Thailand next, exactly where Iim going too. We went to where his Board and stuff was on the beach and we swapped emails so we could meet in Thailand. Small world indeed.
The rest of my time in Bali was great but pretty much of a repeat of the above. When I first got to Bali I didnit like it. I thought it would be more like an Island paradise and I wasnit ready for the crowds, heavy traffic and hassles. But by the time I left, I really liked the place. It had a lot to do with meeting Igor, Angelica and Frido. We all had this great connection and Iim sure we will see each other again. I have invited them all to come and visit me in Morocco and Iim sure they will come, En Shallah.
I have one last story to tell you and this is important if you ever come to Bali. Itis the story of iThe Money Changers.i I had two days left in Bali and didnit have much money. I didnit want to go to the ATM again because that would cost too much money. I still had about $400 New Zealand dollar with me so I decided to cash $100 and that would be enough for the rest of my time. What an experience!
First I walked around and looked at all of the rates. They ranged from 5800 to 6150Rp per NZ dollar. Igor had lent me his Lonely Planet Guide and it said, iBeware of the money changers. Be sure to count your money twice and donit let the changer touch the money once you are done counting.i They also said that you should bring your own calculator because theirs are rigged. I thought that was pretty funny. I was discussing this with Igor and we both came to the conclusion that it must cost much more for an inaccurate calculator that a real one. Imagine going shoppng and saying, iYou know, wink, wink, I want special calculator.i Then the guy would say, iWell itis 100,000 for calculator that takes 10% off and 150,000 for the one that takes 20%.i
I figured it couldnit be that bad and entered the first place that listed 6150. I approached the guy and he smiled. iWhat kind of money you want to sell,i he said.
i$100 NZ. Do you charge a commission?i I asked. The sign out front said No Commission but I thought it best to ask anyway.
iNo commission.i He stated. Then he got out his calculator and showed me that I would get 615,000Rp for my 100NZ. All good so far.
Then he got out a big stack of 20,000Rp notes and counted 6 piles of 5 notes each. Then I counted. Ok. Then he grabbed the notes again and handed them to me. I counted again and there was only 480,000Rp. I couldnit believe it!
iThere are only 480 here what happened,i I said. He grabbed the stack, counted them again and they were all there. Man, This guy was good. I didnit see him take the bills away and didnit see him put them back.
I grabbed the stack again and began to count. When I got to the sixth stack and counted five, I said,iOK, now you no touch!i
The guy got a really aggravated look on his face and said, iWe have no money.i and took the entire stack back and ended the deal.
I couldnit believe it. I went to a second place and it was the same deal. They count, I count they handle again. I said the same as the last place. iOK, look, when Iim done counting this time you know touch.i
At that point the guy grabbed back all the money and said they charge 10% commission. I couldnit believe it. They only charge commission if they canit rip you off.
I was getting really pissed and thought that I wouldnit be able to change the money at all. I decided to try one last place. The guys running it were young and looked like surfers so I played them straight up.
iDo you charge commission?i I asked.
iYes, 3%i he replied.
I showed him my 100NZ. He got out his calculator and the number came out to 596,550Rp. I said, iOK, you give me 600,000 and we have a deal.i He agreed.
When he started counting out the 20,000is I said to him, iLook, I have been up and down this street and everyone is trying to rip me off.i
He got a sly smile on his face and said, iNo, which place.i
I said, iThat doesnit matter.i
iWe no rip you off here,i he replied.
iThen why donit you just give me 6 - 100,000Rp notes and we wonit have to play games.i He and his friend really started laughing.
iNo one gives 100,000Rp notesi he said smiling.
iOK then. When you are done counting, I will count and you no touch money OK?i
He and his friend were beaming smiles, iOK, OK.,i He said.
Then he counted the six stacks, I counted the six stacks and the last stack only had 4 bills. He looked at me like that cannot be. He counted again, I watched carefully and the last stack was definitely one short. I smiled, reached in front of him and grabbed all the bills and said, iGive me one more 20,000.i
He shrugged and handed me the last note. As I was walking away the guy said, iPlease give me 10,000Rp its only fair.i
I laughed and kept on walking. They both smiled and sat back down behind the counter.
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I will post the pictures that relate to this story soon. Email me if you like this story!
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